The anti-discrimination body Kick It Out has sharply criticized initial proposals from English football's independent regulator, warning they effectively sideline equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts. In a submission to the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), chief executive Samuel Okafor said the measures fail to address persistent underrepresentation of minorities across leadership and coaching roles.

Kick It Out's analysis reveals stark disparities in workforce diversity data: only 22% of Premier League board positions are held by women, 3.2% by ethnically diverse individuals, 0.9% by disabled people, and 0.3% by LGBTQ+ community members. The organization argues that annual publication of diversity data is essential for accountability, rather than the proposed two-year cycle.

The criticism comes amid growing concerns about discrimination in football, following recent incidents of racial abuse targeting Premier League players. Kick It Out is calling for EDI to be embedded as a core regulatory objective, with every club required to have board-level accountability for diversity initiatives. The organization also wants standardized reporting across all clubs and an annual EDI benchmarking report from the regulator.